Download data is sent downstream to an end-user, upstream from the provider Downloading generally transfers entire files for local storage and later use, as contrasted with streaming, where the data is used nearly immediately, while the transmission is still in progress, and which may not be stored long-term. Websites that offer streaming media or media displayed in-browser, such as YouTube, increasingly place restrictions on the ability of users to save these materials to their computers after they have been received.
The speed at which your computer downloads a file depends largely on the speed of your Internet or network connection. A faster Internet or network connection typically results in a shorter amount of time to download a file.